By Lily Hautau, CNN
(CNN) — A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon a deep reddish-orange on Tuesday for sky-gazers in Asia, Australia, the Pacific Islands and the Americas.
This event, often referred to as a blood moon, occurs when Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow on the satellite’s surface and causing it to appear crimson, according to NASA.
This eclipse is the last of three consecutive total lunar eclipses, said Dr. C. Alex Young, associate director for science communication in the heliophysics science division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The first of these total lunar eclipses occurred in March 2025 and the second took place in September 2025. If you’re able to catch the upcoming eclipse, you should make an effort to do so, he added, as the next total lunar eclipse won’t occur until December 31, 2028.
What to look for and when
For the nearly 1 in 3 people on Earth who can observe totality, the point at which the moon is fully in Earth’s shadow, “you don’t need a fancy telescope to witness this! Just head outside, look up, and enjoy the view,” Young said. If you want to enhance your experience, you can use binoculars or a small telescope to help sharpen the details, he noted.
However, visibility depends on the weather as clouds may obscure the view.
The eclipse will be visible from Asia, Australia, the Pacific Islands and the Americas simultaneously, but the local time of the event will depend on your time zone. The penumbral lunar eclipse, which occurs as the moon moves through the Earth’s subtle outer shadow, causing faint dimming of the satellite, begins at 3:44 a.m. ET. Then, a partial eclipse, the phase during which the bright full moon is partially covered by Earth shadow, starts at 4:50 a.m. ET. The total eclipse will be visible starting at 6:04 a.m. ET.
During the peak of the event, at 6:34 a.m. ET, viewers can expect to see the most intense reddish color. “If you only have time to look at one part, this is what to aim for,” Young said.
The total eclipse will end at 7:03 a.m. ET as the moon starts to leave Earth’s shadow, after which a partial eclipse followed by a penumbral eclipse will be visible again. The event concludes at 9:23 a.m. ET.
To check timing in your area, see Time and Date’s website.
One full moon with many names
While NASA often refers to this full moon as the blood moon, the event goes by many names, which can reflect seasonal changes or animals, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
As the soil warms in early spring, worms and insects emerge from dormancy, giving rise to the name “worm moon,” which has been used by groups across America and Europe, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
The Ojibwe, or Chippewa, tribes near the Great Lakes refer to the March full moon as the “snow crust moon” or “hard crust on the snow moon,” referencing the snow that thaws during the day but refreezes during the cold nights.
The moniker “sore eye moon” is used by several Native American tribes including the Sioux, Lakota, and Assiniboine of the Great Plains and Dakotas. The name originates from the sun reflecting off the snow causing eye soreness.
Upcoming full moons
This year, sky-gazers will get to see two full moons in May, making 13 full moons for the year. Because a full mo